@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

All Are Needed

Each has a part to play

Unlike some churches of later centuries, every member was seen as playing a vital part in the life of the Christian church as a whole. The body analogy of 1 Corinthians 12 well expresses the culture of the first century church. Parts may differ in function, but all have a helpful and necessary part to play, under the Headship of Christ. Both the ‘humblest’ member and the ‘highest’ member were to daily listen to Yeshua and follow His directions diligently and faithfully. This was, and is, the central New Testament teaching of the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6). Underthe new covenant, every believer has direct access to God through Christ, who is the one High Priest (Hebrews 4:14–16). This radically redefines leadership and ministry, not as restricted to a select class or category, but as shared by all who are in Christ. Interestingly, this principle both theocratises and democratises ministry, expanding the impact of Christ’s Headship, and including the whole Christian constituency in the active expansion of the movement. In this original first century model, every believer is encouraged to engage actively in the work of the Kingdom, contributing their gifts and skills to the building up of the Body in love (Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:7). When did you last have a ‘rain check’ on your own role? Why not have a brief review today.